Soft–hard composite materials can overcome the inherent trade-off between strength and toughness, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Recently, researchers from Japan and China developed a minimal three-dimensional composite model that eliminates nonlinear effects, isolating key design principles. This framework revealed how varying the mixing ratio of soft to hard materials leads to brittle-to-ductile transitions and identified the optimal ratio that maximizes toughness, offering insights for the development of next-generation structural and biomedical materials.

Conventional wearable sweat sensors utilize hydrophobic ion-selective membranes (ISMs) and require tight contact and adhesives to achieve signal stability. However, this can lead to user discomfort and skin-related diseases, necessitating the development of non-contact alternatives. In a new study, inspired by the self-cleaning behavior of rose petals, researchers developed novel ISM-based sweat sensors that feature enhanced signal stability and performance, avoid skin contact, and are reusable, making them practical for daily use.

RNA-binding proteins use a dual binding mechanism involving zinc finger (ZnF) domains and intrinsically disordered regions (IDR), reports a new study from Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan. Using advanced molecular modeling, the study analyzes a “FUS protein-RNA” complex—revealing how the protein uses its ZnF domain for RNA sequences recognition and its flexible IDR domain for its non-specific interactions. This breakthrough strategy is likely common to nucleic acid binding, offering fresh insights into molecular science.

Scientists at Kumamoto University have made a major breakthrough in regenerative medicine by successfully creating functional ureter tissue—organoids resembling the urinary tract—from pluripotent stem cells. The achievement brings researchers one step closer to developing transplantable kidneys capable of producing and expelling urine.

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a severe condition marked by malabsorption of nutrients and dependence on intravenous nutrition. In a recent study, researchers from Japan explored how glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) analog therapy transforms the intestinal environment at the cellular level. Using single-cell analysis and microbiome profiling, they revealed that GLP-2 analog treatment promotes gut remodeling, enhances nutrient absorption, reduces inflammation, and reshapes the microbiome—offering key insights for improving SBS therapy.

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that often goes untreated owing to limited access to specialist care. To address this, researchers tested a guided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy program for women with bulimia that could be delivered online. They found that online therapy reduced binge eating and purge behaviors and achieved improved remission rates compared to usual care, offering a promising way to make effective treatment more accessible for people with limited clinic access.

Tuning magnetic properties in quasicrystals is limited by fixed elemental ratios set by stoichiometry. Now, researchers from Japan developed a “double hetero-valent elemental substitution” method, where atoms are replaced with others of different valency but similar size. Applying this to a Ga-based approximant crystal, they substituted gallium and platinum with gold, transforming the material’s magnetic state from spin-glass to ferromagnetic. The approach allows precise magnetic control, paving the way for advanced magnetocaloric materials.